Pains Revealed
by littlespider
Summary: Post "Wolfe in Sheep's Clothing." Ryan's coworkers find out about his encounter with the Russians... just not the way he planned.


How I think "Wolfe in Sheep's Clothing" should have ended. Ryan's coworkers find out about his encounter with the Russians... just not the way he planned.

Disclaimer: CSI: Miami is only mine in my dreams.

* * *

Ryan Wolfe was already in the locker room when Calleigh and Eric walked in, doing their best to ignore him. He sighed, and turned to them. "Hey, guys, look—"

"I am looking, Wolfe," Delko growled. "And all I see is a liar."

Ryan closed his eyes briefly. "I deserve that. But if you just give me a chance to explain…"

Suddenly, Eric gripped him by his collar and slammed him up against the lockers. His already sore body throbbed in protest. Calleigh, who'd been trying not to get involved, looked shocked. "Eric!"

Both men were breathing hard, their faces inches from each other. "Listen closely, Wolfe," Eric said, his nostrils flaring in anger. "We've given you more than enough chances, and you just cant seem to get it right."

With that, he shoved Ryan against the lockers once more, and let go. Ryan managed to muffle a groan, but slid down the lockers to sit on the floor, clutching his ribs. His breathing was sharp and shallow as the pain assaulted him. What he didn't notice was that the knife wound on his arm had started bleeding.

Calleigh, on the other hand, did notice. "Ryan, are you alright? Your arm's bleeding."

Wincing, Ryan turned to look. He let out a curse that turned into a cough. He coughed again, and blood splattered from his mouth.

By now, his two companions were on high alert. Delko whipped out his phone and called for an ambulance, while Calleigh knelt by Ryan to feel for broken ribs. As she felt his upper ribs, he gave a groan of pain as her hand slipped into a space that should have been occupied by a rib. Without waiting for his permission, he ripped open his shirt for a better look, and hissed in response. His entire torso was covered in huge bruises, some sickly green and others a dark purple. She could also see two freely moving ribs. And guessing from the blood that now dripped from his mouth, he'd punctured a lung.

"When did this happen?" she asked, horrified.

"Last night," Ryan ground out. "I was trying to tell you… the Russians…"

He coughed again and more blood dribbled down his chin. Calleigh wiped it away gently. "Well, from the looks of it, you've got two—"

"Broken ribs. Yeah, I know."

How he'd managed to hide the pain all day, she'd never know. "And a punctured lung, judging by the blood. 'Course you've seemed okay all day, so I'm assuming…" she glanced at Eric, who was now kneeling on Ryan's other side. "…that a rub shifted and pierced your lung when Eric shoved you into the lockers."

Ryan nodded slightly, his eyes clamped shut and his breath rattling. "That would explain why it hurts… so much… to breathe." He coughed.

Eric ran his fingers through his hair in a harried expression. "God, Wolfe, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Stop," Ryan chocked out, swallowing thickly against the blood that was rising in his throat. "Not your fault."

"No, it is." Eric insisted. We should've known something was up. You'd never tamper with evidence just because you felt like it. You were hurt. We ignored all the signs!"

"…was a jerk."

"You were threatened, tortured. You were allowed to be a jerk," Calleigh replied.

With a small smile, Ryan gagged and slumped to the side, losing his battle with the pain. Blood ran from the side of his mouth, and Eric hurried to support the unconscious man. "Hang in there man. Hang on."

***

"You knew?" Eric asked Horatio at the hospital. His tone was hurt. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Mr. Wolfe wanted as few people to know as possible. He was worried that if they could get to him, they could get to you as well."

Calleigh and Eric looked at each other guiltily.

"Lt. Caine?" They turned to find a doctor examining a chart.

"How is Mr. Wolfe doing?" Horatio asked.

The doctor sighed. "Not as good as I would like, but he's fairly stable. The lung he punctured collapsed on the way over, but we've managed to drain it, repair the tear, and get it reinflated. We've reset his ribs to take extra pressure off the lung. He has some signs of internal bleeding, but we've left that alone for now."

"Is that safe?" Eric asked with a frown.

The doctor nodded slightly. "His body's under enough stress from the beating as it is. I don't know if he could handle another surgery right now. If there are no complications, we might try again in a day or so." The doctor looked at his watch. "I've got to continue my rounds, but Mr. Wolfe is in a recovery room if you wish to see him."

Calleigh and Eric, still feeling guilty, elected to go first. When they reached his room, Calleigh had a flashback to when she had visited Eric in the hospital. Just like the Cuban, Ryan looked so much smaller next to the heart monitor and respirator. His eyes were closed. Calleigh shivered and Eric pulled her close.

The Cuban spoke first. "God, Wolfe, Ryan… this is all my fault. You were trying to explain and I wouldn't listen. Hell, I should've followed up yesterday when you never answered your phone!" His fists clenched. "I'm sorry, man."

As if on cue, Ryan's eyes fluttered open. Although the drugs gave the hazels a glazed over look, the younger CSI communicated everything in that gaze: he didn't blame them, and he was glad they were there.

Calleigh reached out and gripped his hand. "Hey, babe. Hang in there, okay?"

Because he was intubated, Ryan couldn't answer, but the relaxed breathing was enough for his companions to know that he understood. His eyelids fluttered again; he seemed to be fighting the urge to sleep. Calleigh brushed some hair off his forehead. "Go to sleep, babe."

And, almost instantaneously, he was out.

Smiling the two CSIs turned to leave when they heard a sound that made their blood run cold: the heart monitor flat lining. In terror, Eric rushed into the hallway. "Hey, we need help in here!"

He then returned to watch a doctor hurried into the room. Nurses swarmed around him, prepping the crash cart.

"Oh, God no, Ryan!" Calleigh sobbed, clutching Eric's arms. She hadn't cried when Eric was shot, hadn't cried when she thought Horatio was dead… But she'd never had to witness someone she cared about die, either.

The doctor gripped the paddles. "Charging 200! Clear!"

The two CSIs stared at the heart monitor. Nothing happened.

"Charging 250! Clear!"

Nothing.

"Charging 300! Clear!"

Still nothing. The action stopped, and a solemn silence hung in the air. The doctor heaved a heavy sigh, and glanced at his watch. "TOD—"

_Beep. Beep._

Everyone looked up. Somehow, miraculously, Ryan's heart started right where it had left off. Even Eric's knees went weak with relief.

***

"Hey, stranger!" Natalia winked. "How're you doing?"

Ryan flashed her a grin. "Good. I'm glad to be back."

"It's only been two weeks. Did your doctor seriously clear you for field work?" Natalia looked suspicious.

"Yeah… pretty much."

"Pretty much? What's that mean?"

But Ryan just laughed and walked toward his Trace lab. It was good to be back.

* * *

I almost killed him... just to punish Eric and Calleigh. But I couldn't. So, review?


End file.
